Unwanted Confessions
by Knoxus
Summary: I was an outcast. He was a player. When I saw that name beside mine on that dreaded yellow paper, I was instantly catapulted into Roxas Decastro's chaotic life. Rewritten version of What They Need. [HIATUS]
1. My Fate has been Sealed

**A/N: **Welcome to the rewritten first chapter of What They Need. I know some of you have suggested not to rewrite it, but I have absolutely no motivation to continue writing the old version. I hope that this new version will be just as great (in my opinion, it's a lot better.) Opinions are welcomed! Compare it to the old first chapter and tell me what you think!

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><p><strong>My Fate has been Sealed<strong>

My head was throbbing. Absolutely throbbing. Without opening my eyes, I grip my red bed covers and sighed. It was Monday morning; it was one of those mornings that everyone hates. I didn't like them any better than the kid next door. As my eyes fluttered open, I rubbed my aching head. Out of all days to get a headache, it just had to be today. I forced myself out of bed; I had to get up sooner or later right? Chills were sent down my spine as a wave of cold air slapped me in the face. I've been living in the basement for as long as I can remember; I should be immune to this - immune to the cold air that occasionally swept throughout the area. But sadly, I'm not. I never got accustomed to anything in this house. To me, everything about it was constantly changing. It was like I'm running in a maze; once you think you found your escape route, the formation changes and you're back to square one.

I stepped into my bathroom. It wasn't anything special, just any old bathroom that you would see in any house in the middle of downtown. I flipped on the switch; the light flickered for a split second before lighting up the plain bathroom. I sauntered towards the sink, picked up my toothbrush, and began my usual morning routine.

As I turned off the tap, I could hear a muffled voice coming from upstairs. Shivers crawled down my spine as I realized the unpleasant voice that could come from no one but my stepmother. I gripped my toothbrush tightly; I didn't even realize that I was trembling slightly until I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My messy blond tresses was frizzy and quite unattractive, but a few strays framed my pale and skinny complexion. My azure colored eyes were wide as if traumatized by a horrific event. As I hear the garage door opening, I let out a sigh of relief. I placed my toothbrush back in its usual spot and resumed my routine.

The large mirror in my bedroom was very useful. I spun around, surveying myself in the mirror. My outfit consisted of nothing more than a pair of long, black sweats and a simple white hoodie. I swung my bag over my shoulder and closed my bedroom door. As I walked up the stairs, I could hear the rushed footsteps of a person as if late for some important meeting. Once I reached the top, I turned the handle and peeked outside; there, standing in the kitchen was Faye, my stepsister.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the kitchen. "Morning," I greeted quietly. Faye's gray eyes shifted towards me, her lips forming a neat line. Her gaze showed no signs of hatred but nor was it friendly. She continued buttering her toast, treating me like air. Faye Saunders and I never really got along. Actually, we barely talked. Occasionally, we would acknowledge each other's presence, but other than that, we only made eye contact. Even at school, we act as if we are complete strangers, despite living in the same house.

I opened the fridge, dug out the sandwich that I made yesterday night and placed it on the counter. As I poured myself a glass of milk, Faye dumped her lunch inside her bag and hurried out the door.

"Goodbye to you too," I muttered.

I chugged down my milk and placed the jug back inside the fridge. I took a quick peek at the clock; it was only 7:30; class doesn't start until 8:15. I rummaged through the cupboards and storage, hoping to find any medicine that will ease this horrible headache I have. After finding no traces of medicine, I rubbed my temples. Calm down, Namine. Just take it easy today and everything will be fine.

Walking to school wasn't a bother. I actually prefer walking than driving; I honestly don't see a point in driving to school when it's pretty much right around the corner. Then again, it was not surprising to see cars lined up in front of the school every single morning. Gekoukan Academy - a school for the rich. The only school that would be able to match its superiority was the University. Compared to other high schools, Gekoukan was number one. Not only in wealth, but academics and athletics as well. Gekoukan was amazing in its own ways, but if you ask me, I would rather attend a normal and simple high school. Gekoukan was too flashy, too high tech and much too high class for my tastes.

Even though I'm a senior now, I still get strange looks every time I walk into the school; I'm not too surprised. Every student was dressed so nicely, and I stuck out like a sore thumb with my usual clothing which consisted of sweats (sometimes jeans) and a hoodie. Everyone, including my classmates, have the impression that I managed to snatch a scholarship. That's the only way for a commoner (like myself) to get into the school. But nope, they were all wrong. I wouldn't consider myself stupid, but I was definitely not a genius. My grades weren't amazing but they weren't horrible either. I consider myself to be an average high school student. My stepmother, who was loaded, paid for my tuition at this school.

Amazing, right? Wrong.

I never had a choice; I was forced into this school, all because of my "blind" stepmother. If I were to attend any other school, it would only hurt her "status" and growing ego. Anyone who lives under her roof had to have a status. For a plain girl like me, attending Gekoukan was my status. Faye, on the other hand, was blessed with athletic genes. She didn't need a status forced on her; she made her own.

The people I walked by never muttered a greeting. My fellow classmates, who I occasionally greet, walked right past me like I was air. I'm not surprised; who would want to socialize with a "commoner" like me? The way they stared at me made my blood boil; didn't they know it was rude to stare? As much as I want to shoot them a dirty look, I refrained from doing so, knowing that would get me nothing but trouble. I, Namine Avery, was a walking target with my differences.

I slid the classroom door open; none of my classmates greeted me like I predicted. I walked to my desk located at the back of the room and sat down. With my elbow propped on the desk, I surveyed the classroom. The power of wealth was frightening; just by overhearing these outrageous conversations from people your age really made you question their sanity.

"Where did you get this? This is absolutely stunning!" Selphie, a girl with short, light brown hair that curled outwards gasped in astonishment.

"My father bought it for me." her friend replied proudly. "Amazing, isn't it? I heard it's worth millions!"

"It can't be worth millions!" Selphie laughed, "that's ridiculous! The most is five thousand. Max."

I rolled my eyes; this was preposterous. I tuned out the rest of their conversation, hearing the rest would only make my headache worse. I groaned softly; as I place my head on my desk, the door slid open. Immediately, I spotted Xion Decastro, a girl who I would actually consider to be normal. Her short black hair reached until the middle of her neck, and her opalescent eyes always seem to be shining.

"Xion!" Selphie waved frantically. "Come here! I need your opinion on this!"

Xion smiled and ambled over, eager to be with her friends. I buried my head inside my arms, but out of the corner of my eye, I could still see their figures. Unlike the other girls in the school, Xion barely wore any accessories. The most I've seen her wear was a simple ring and expensive looking necklace. In other words, she was not the type to decorate herself or cake her face with make-up like some girls did.

"Take your seats everyone!" A loud voice resonated throughout the room. Immediately, the conversations stopped, and everyone scurried to their seats.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment; my headache was worsening by the second. I should have stayed home. Whatever motivated me to come to school under these circumstances was beyond me. I forced myself upright, and took out the various notebooks sitting in my bag.

Class went by a lot slower than usual. Suffering through my teacher's boring lecture and dealing with this monstrous headache was a serious pain. My writing started to look like scribbles after the first twenty minutes; I even had to squint just to make out what I was trying to say.

"Miss Avery,"

The call of my name nearly made me jump. My head whipped up, completely startled. "Y-yes?" I said, my voice squeaky.

"Would you be so kind as to answer the question that's on the board?"

I was flustered. Not only was the math question a foreign language to me but I had to narrow my eyes just to make out the whole thing. Slowly, I stood up, aware of the stares that seem to burn right through me. I mustered a nod, and made my way to the front of the classroom. As I passed, the whispering commenced. I swore under my breath, making sure it was inaudible to the people around me. I'm pretty confident to say that they were in the boat.

I picked up a blue marker and uncapped it. The teacher was staring at me so intently that I really wish a black hole would form on the ground and swallow me whole. Why me? Out of everyone he could have possibly picked, why me? I placed the tip on the board, hating this sickening feeling that was growing in the pit of my stomach.

"Well, Miss Avery?" the teacher tapped his foot impatiently.

My eyes scanned through the question once more. Nothing came to me. After twenty seconds of complete silence, I admitted defeat. "I...I don't know,"

The teacher shook his head and sent me back to my seat. My face was red, but it wasn't from the embarrassment. What was so embarrassing about admitting something you didn't know? My head was spinning, and my breathing became heavier than usual. I caught a few nasty remarks from my classmates, and like usual, I ignored it. What was the point anyway? Talking back gets you nowhere in life.

As I sat down, I saw Xion approaching the board. I sunk deeper in my chair as she solved the question almost instantly. I groaned softly; she just made me look like a bigger idiot than I was before. As the teacher nodded in approval, Xion made her way back, and for the first time, we locked gazes. Despite being in the same homeroom for the past two years, we rarely spoke. Occasionally, I would be staring at her, but not in a creepy, stalker-like kind of way. It was more of admiration than anything else. I quickly looked away, not wanting to succumb to her intimidating stare.

When class finally ended, I felt extremely relieved. With my cheek placed against the cool desk, I could feel myself coming down with something. Since we have a eight minute break between classes, I decided to head to the nurses office. The school's so wealthy, they must have something to treat this headache, right? If they didn't, I would really have to question their money usage methods. As I stepped out of the classroom, I could feel the glares coming from my classmates.

My vision started to blur slightly; I really need a bed - preferably mine. I stopped in front of a large, cerulean door. As I slid it open, I noticed a kind looking woman with long ginger curls and large jade eyes. Ria Owens, more famously known as Axel Owens' older sister, was our school nurse.

Ria spun her chair around, greeting me with a large smile, "Good morning, Namine. What can I do for you?"

"Morning," I forced a lopsided grin. "Do you happen to have anything that'll treat a headache?"

"You've been getting sick a lot recently. Are you sure you've been eating properly and getting enough sleep?" Ria frowned. She opened the top drawer and fished out a container filled with small pills.

"I have been." I said as I walked towards her. Ria placed the pill in my hand and stood up. "I don't know why I've been getting sick so recently. Maybe it's something I ate. Besides, it's nothing serious. Just a little headache," I dumped the pill in my mouth and swallowed it whole.

Ria poured me a hot cup of water and placed it on the table, "A little?" Ria's eyes widened slightly, "You're so pale!"

"Am I?" I asked quietly, picking up the hot cup of water and feeling its warmth. I placed the hot cup against my cheek for a brief moment before taking a few sips.

"Lie down for a bit, alright? I'll call your teacher to tell you that you're feeling ill and you'll be a little late for class." Ria suggested.

"But-"

"Go," Ria ordered.

I sighed softly in defeat. Winning an argument against Ria Owens was close to impossible. Having that thought in mind, I placed the cup on the table and quietly walked towards the other side of room where the beds were located. As I got closer, I realized a boy occupying one of the beds. His dark blond tresses was fashionably spiked upwards, and his skin was nicely tanned.

Roxas Decastro, a notorious playboy who was mischievous and quite the charmer. As much as I hate to admit it, he was quite attractive. I first noticed him in our sophomore year; if you believe in stereotypes, Roxas was your typical white jock. From what I observed, he was cocky, ignorant, arrogant, and the list goes on. I have no intention of ever talking with this boy. That would get me nowhere but hell.

"Don't mind him," Ria said, shaking her head.

"How long has he been here?" I asked curiously.

Ria rolled her eyes, "a couple of hours. No matter how much I shake him, he won't wake up. I even blasted music in his ears, for heaven's sake!"

Ria's facial expressions were hilarious. As she turned back to her mountain of paperwork sitting on her desk, I bit back a chuckle. I quietly slipped into the empty bed beside him. As I place my head on the comfortable pillow, the sweet scent of cologne filled my nostrils. I pulled the blankets over my face, concealing everything but my eyes. As my consciousness started to fade, the last thing I saw was Roxas' sleeping face.

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><p>"Namine! Namine!"<p>

In a desperate attempt to tune out the sound, I completely pulled my blanket over my head. It was too early! I need more sleep!

"Namine! I know you're awake! Your class ends in ten minutes!"

My eyes shot open. I bolted upright, and rubbed my tired eyes. "W-what?" I stammered, still trying to visualize my surroundings.

"You've been asleep for fifty minutes." I hear Ria sigh.

"What?" I screamed. I jumped out of bed and immediately glanced at the owl clock hanging on the beige colored walls.

"I tried to wake you," Ria continued. "You're a heavier sleeper than Roxas!"

I turned towards the bed beside me. It was empty. I shook the thought from my head; right now, I need to get to class.

"Thanks for everything, Ria," I said as I dashed out the door.

"Take it easy!" I hear her call before I slid the door closed.

As I sprinted down the corridors, I was glad that my massive headache managed to die down. Maybe I do need more sleep. I recalled the numerous times I had slept late because of various reasons. Maybe that was why my acne had been acting up lately too. I stopped in front of my classroom door and hurriedly slid it open.

The muffled chatter that I heard before completely stopped. Everyone was silent. What a dramatic appearance I must have made. I turned towards the female teacher who was smiling warmly at me.

"Are you feeling better now, Miss Avery? I got a call from Ria saying you were sick."

"I...I'm feeling better now, thanks," I said, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Are you like...not eating enough?" A girl asked, blinking various times. I could easily tell she was feigning innocence.

"I am." I replied dryly. "Thanks for your concern though,"

Before I sat down, I heard her friend speak up, "Are you sure? You're starting to look awfully thin. Are you a bulimic by any chance?"

I clenched my fists; I can assure you that I have been eating properly, thank you very much. Before I could argue back, the teacher loudly cleared her throat.

"Let's get on with class, shall we?"

I shot the girl a glare, which she responded with an innocuous smile. As I dug through my bag, I realized that all of my notebooks and textbooks have been vandalized. Are you serious? I bit back a loud sigh; not only were my school books nearly destroyed, my pencil case that had been sitting on my desk had vanished. Today was not my day.

"This project will be worth twenty percent of your final grade!"

My head shot up. What? What did I miss? The students started to chatter amongst themselves, while I was dazed and confused.

"Uh-oh. Here it comes!" A boy gasped.

"Not this project again..." a girl groaned.

As the teacher wrote the words: Malnutrition on the board, I instantly pieced the puzzle pieces together. Every year, the seniors have to do a project that was worth twenty percent of their final grade. Everyone works with the same topic, but won't necessarily have the same outcome. You and a partner will have to collaborate to incorporate Biology, Chemistry and Physics to your final product as a way to solve the global issue that the teachers have assigned you. Pain in the butt? Yeah, I think so.

"We can't choose are partners, right?" a boy confirmed.

"Nope," the teacher replied. "It's like every other year. We pick your partners for you."

The students groaned and the whispering commenced as the teacher started passing out the dreaded yellow sheets with all of our names on it and our designated partner. It didn't matter who I was with; it's going to be hell either way. I closed my bag and slowly awaited my impending doom.

The paper was placed. I pushed it towards me and scanned my eyes down the paper. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I realized that I wasn't paired up with those kinds of people that barely did anything. Okay, maybe this wasn't going to be so bad. As I got to the bottom of the page, I blinked. I wasn't seeing things right? I squinted my eyes and held the paper in front of my face. The words weren't going to change, no matter how hard I stare at them. There, beside my name, was the name that had never crossed my mind ever since the teacher introduced this project.

Xion Decastro.


	2. Something I Do Not Want to be a Part Of

**A/N:** Hello all ~ many thanks to those who reviewed last chapter. :) I was ecstatic to read your feedback/thoughts. I've decided to dedicate myself to one story at a time (finally, eh?). And guess what? This is the one. If that's good news or not, I'll let you be the judge of that. So, you can be expecting updates frequently on this :).

I hope this chapter doesn't bore you to death. It pretty much just gives a brief outline on some of the major characters in the story. Also, a bit of Roxas and Namine interaction at the end. (I don't know if you can even consider that interaction, but at least they finally meet, right?)

Happy reading. :)

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><p><strong>Something I Do Not Want to be a Part Of<strong>

You wanna know what it was like to be sitting next to Xion Decastro? Plain awkward. While the other students chatted happily amongst themselves, the two of us sat at the back of the room - in complete silence. Occasionally, I would steal a few glances at her, but her gaze was fixed on the blank piece of paper in front of her. What should I say? What _can_ I say? Or, the better question would be: Should I _even_ say anything?

The teacher cleared her throat loudly, wanting to re-grab the students' attention. As everyone quieted down, she started to explain the specific and important details that we needed to know. There would be a self and peer assessment at the end, and the booklet that was handed out to us a few moments ago will be contributing to our final mark, as well. Oh, don't you just love school?

As the teacher passed out a few sample projects from a few years ago, I noticed Xion writing down a few notes. I bit by bottom lip. Maybe I should say something. Besides, what was the worst that can happen?

"I have a few ideas we could probably use," I said quietly. Xion stopped writing. She had a perplexed look on her face, as she turned in my direction. I braced myself, waiting for the insult or insults that she was probably going to fire at me. I didn't mind though; insults were a daily part of my life. My self esteem couldn't possibly go lower any further.

"Oh, that's a relief!" Xion said, sighing softly. I tilted my head slightly in confusion. My brows were scrunched and I had a blank look on my face; I probably looked pretty stupid. It took me several seconds to process her words. "I thought I would be doing this alone!" I tried to speak, but the words refused to leave my lips. "I was thinking we could do something like...producing pills or something! I know it sounds stupid, but I'm just writing down whatever comes to mind."

"N-no," I finally choked out. "We could probably use that idea."

"You think so?" Xion beamed.

I was confused. The look on my face was priceless. I knew Xion Decastro was the happy-go-lucky type of person, but I never thought she would be so comfortable to talk to someone like me, Namine Avery - the infamous outcast of the entire school. Xion was most likely aware of my reputation, and she probably had thoughts on doing this project all by herself. I wouldn't be surprised if she had been thinking to ignore me completely.

"What was your idea anyway? I'll write it down." Xion offered.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. What if she laughed? What if she thought it was stupid? "Have you heard of the 'miracle tree'?" I said quietly.

"The miracle...what?" Xion leaned closer, her brow arching in confusion.

"The miracle tree," I said again. "It's more accurately called: The Moringa Oleifera. The pods contain all of the essential amino acids that humans need, and the leaves can be used for seasoning or salads. To make a long story short, the entire tree can be used ensuring no wastage of any kind. Not only that, it can purify water. And to make things even better, it can thrive in third world countries."

Xion's jaw dropped. She was starting to spit out gibberish; it seemed like she couldn't form the words into proper sentences. I didn't try stopping her. When she finally calmed herself down, she stared at me intently like a police interrogating a criminal.

"How - Where - Where did you get this information from?" Xion spluttered.

"Google?" I said slowly.

"But...how did you even come across this so called 'miracle tree'?" Xion continued. I could see the excitement dancing in her eyes.

"I read about it." I replied, "I just...came across it one day, magically."

Xion stood up, nearly knocking her chair over. She placed both of her hands on my shoulders. "You're a lifesaver, you know that?" she beamed brightly. A couple of students glanced at us, wondering what all the excitement was about. I chuckled hesitantly. Xion was way too excited; I could see the fire in her eyes. Once she relaxed down, she sat back down in her seat and scooted her chair closer to the table. "Tell me more about this miracle tree!" she whispered quietly.

The more I told her, the more excited she became. But, I couldn't hide my excitement either. While the majority of the students looked troubled, we nearly had our whole project planned out. The more I interacted with Xion, I realized that she was similar to a child. The way she laughed, and the way she gasped and flailed, I could see why she was loved by everyone. She was an easy person to get along with. Coming from an unsociable person like me, that was saying a lot.

When the bell finally rang for lunch, Xion and I had a good start to our project. As I placed my bag on the table, I sighed softly at my vandalized notebooks and textbooks. They weren't going to un-vandalize themselves no matter how much I stare. I might as well suck it up and make a trip down to the book store later today.

The only person that bothered saying anything to me as they left was Xion. I waved to her in response. As I swung my bag over my shoulder, I noticed the two disrespectful girls from earlier. They were staring in my direction; it was a stare that carried no signs of hatred, but I felt quite intimidated. Seriously, what did they want? I walked right past them, not succumbing to their frightening stares.

Like every other day, I was treated like air. When I stopped in front of the nurses office, I heard muffled voices coming from behind the door. Just as I was about to open it, the door slid open rapidly; I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked up, finding myself staring into the eyes of a boy with shoulder-length silver tresses and profound teal colored orbs.

"Oh, hello Namine!" I hear Ria greet cheerfully.

I quickly stepped to the side, letting the boy pass. As he did, I could feel his stare on me. Once I was sure that he wasn't looking at me, I took a quick glimpse at him. I felt a sense of familiarity; I could have sworn I saw him somewhere before, but I couldn't put my finger on it. In the end, I expelled the thought from my mind. It wasn't that important anyway.

I stepped into the room as Ria took a sip from her hot cup of coffee. "Hey, Ria," I greeted pleasantly.

"Is your headache any better?" Ria asked, "Do you need to take more medicine?"

I shook my head, "I'm fine, really. I just came here to talk."

Ria laughed, "Like you do every single lunch hour?"

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go," I shrugged.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ria frowned, "If you try to talk to the other students, I'm sure they'll be just as friendly."

I sat in the empty stool that was sitting beside Ria; I would much rather spend my lunch time talking with Ria than socializing with my fellow classmates. Ria fished out her container from her bag and opened it. She munched on a seasoned rice ball, while I dug in my bag to see if my lunch was still present. After rummaging through my things, it finally dawned on me that I had left my lunch sitting on the counter. Stupid, stupid me.

"Did you eat yet?" Ria asked.

"Yeah," I lied. Ria narrowed her eyes; I guess she sensed my awkward tone of voice. To take her suspicions off of me, I stood up. "But I'm still hungry. I'll go buy something from the cafeteria,"

"Good idea," Ria said, flashing me her trademark smile.

I hurried out the door with my wallet. Hearing the loud rumble from my stomach, I started to jog. When I got to the large cafeteria, I wasn't amazed at the long line-up. Since this was a rich school full of rich students, everyone was bound to be spending their money buying the grand meals they served. I sauntered to the back of the line, sighing softly as I walked.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I whipped around, not expecting to see Xion's smiling face.

"Hi, Namine!" she greeted energetically.

"Hi," I greeted dryly.

"The line-up looks pretty long..." Xion said, standing on her tippy-toes to get a better look. "Some of us have a few sandwiches left over, do you wanna come eat with us?"

"Us?" I arched a brow.

Xion pointed towards a large table - filled with people who, I would much rather not associate with. There was Sora Strife - captain of the volleyball team, Kairi Parish - president of student council, Olette Quinn - the golf team's secret weapon, Hayner Foster - vice captain of the wrestling team, Pence Williams - scriptwriter for the school plays, Axel Owens - star player of the basketball team, Demyx Mason - the guitar specialist, and the boy with the silver tresses whose name still escapes me. But I do remember that he led the school's swim team to victory last year. And lastly, there was Roxas Decastro - the guy who won three track ribbons and was a member of the rugby and break dance team.

"No," I said after five seconds of observing the table. "I'm good, thanks,"

"Are you sure?" Xion asked, "You're going to be waiting a while,"

"Really, it's fine," I reassured. I would much rather be stuck waiting in line than walk into that death trap.

Xion pouted, clearly not happy with my response, but she dropped the topic otherwise. She bid me farewell and hurried back to her seat. With Xion Decastro - the amazing gymnast, the table was complete. To me, they looked like one, big, happy family. A family that I would never want to be a part of.

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><p>When I finally got back to Ria, I was ecstatic. No more pushing and shoving. While Ria occupied herself with the various paperwork sitting on her desk, I munched happily on a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.<p>

"I don't understand why you would want to spend your lunch hour with me, Namine. When you could be outside enjoying the beautiful day!" Ria sighed dramatically.

"You should know by now that I'm not an outdoor type of person," I replied.

Ria chuckled, "Rather be spending your time indoors, eh?"

"I guess it just appeals to me more. I'm not fond of sports either." I said quietly.

"You should at least try right? It never hurts to try!" Ria said confidently, "I'm sure that you'll find a sport that you'll like Namine. You just have to put yourself out there!"

I enjoyed Ria's attempts of getting me to become more involved in school, but it just doesn't appeal to me. Unlike the majority of the students (who would rather be active than sitting at a desk), I preferred sitting in a chair, drawing to my heart's content. I loved to draw; it was my only hobby, actually. Aside from reading random articles online, I dedicated most of my free time to filling up the empty pages of my sketchbook. By now, I think I have gone through at least four. If it weren't for school, I would have gone through a lot more.

"Thanks for the encouragement, Ria," I said, "but you should already know what my answer is going to be,"

Ria sighed, "Oh Namine, if only I could show you how much potential you have!"

"I'm sure I have none," I frowned, finishing off the last bits of my lunch.

"Anyway-" Ria said, finally admitting defeat. "How was class? Anything interesting happen?"

"It's that time of year again," I sighed, "the dreaded project."

Ria laughed, "Ah, that one. Even though it's tiring, everyone gets a pretty high mark at the end. I never heard anyone getting lower than eight-five percent."

"I hope Xion and I won't be the first," I muttered.

"Xion?" Ria arched a brow, "You got paired up with Xion?"

I nodded. "She seems nice," I said quietly.

"Oh gosh, I can guarantee that you'll learn a lot about her." Ria chuckled.

"I don't really want to talk with her other than the project, as much as I'm concerned." I admitted. "She seems nice and all...but I rather not."

"I know you admire that girl. Right?" Ria smirked deviously.

"To some extent, yes," I sighed, "but I rather keep a low profile and not become a part of her little posse."

"Which _one_ are you talking about?" Ria snickered.

"There's more than one?" I scoffed.

"I wouldn't really call them her 'posse'." Ria said, air quoting the word. "Well...if you're talking about Selphie and them, then yes, I would consider them Xion's posse."

I bit back a chuckle. "What's the difference?"

"Roxas and them are actually really close to her." Ria explained.

"They're siblings, after all," I muttered.

"But with Selphie and those other girls...Xion just likes to have fun with them. Don't get her wrong, she's not using them or anything, but she just finds it amusing to be friends with someone that's clearly not in their right state of mind."

"How do you know so much about her?" I arched a brow.

Ria snorted, "I am the sister of Xion's best friend." Ria smirked, "I think that should explain everything." I mentally face-palmed myself. Duh, of course. Axel Owens was a part of their 'family', I should have saw that coming. "Xion's a really outgoing person though. But she opens up to people way too easily."

I didn't doubt what Ria said; I had experienced Xion's...cheerfulness only moments ago. She talked to me like we had been friends for years. That was how I saw it, at least. Then again, I didn't have many friends to begin with. Actually, I didn't have anyone I would consider a 'friend'. The term felt so foreign to me that I never quite understood the actual concept of it, if there was one at all.

The bell sounded. I packed up my things, and said a quick good-bye to Ria before heading out the door. As I ambled down the slightly crowded corridor, I started humming to myself. Right when I turned the corner, I collided straight into a person.

The papers that he was holding scattered across the floor. "Sorry about that, I wasn't watching where I was going," the boy said.

I glanced at the male; he was the same person I nearly bumped into when I walked into Ria's office.

"Oh, no. It's fine," I replied in a rush. I just wanted to get out of there ASAP.

"God Riku, why are you such an idiot?" Demyx Mason (who I just realized was standing beside the boy) teased playfully.

Riku. Riku Baron! That was his name. Riku rolled his eyes; he looked at Demyx and playfully shoved him into a locker. "Shut up, Demyx. You bump into people all the time." Riku said.

I handed Riku some of the papers I picked up from the ground. As he took it from my hands, he flashed me a warm smile. "Thanks, Namine,"

"You're-" I stopped. How did he know my name? Before I had a chance to ask, him and Demyx had already turned the corner, acting as if nothing happened.

* * *

><p>When I finally arrived at the classroom, I saw that most students had a laptop sitting on their desks. I surveyed the room before noticing Xion, sitting at the back of the room, looking deep in thought. I wouldn't have talked to her, but since she was sitting in the seat that was right beside my table, I didn't have much of a choice.<p>

"Hi," I greeted.

Looking like she snapped out of a trance, Xion turned to look at me. "Hey! You'll never guess what I found!" she said excitedly.

I arched a brow, as I sat down. "What?"

"I got tons of information on this site about our project! It's great!" Xion beamed. She turned her laptop screen towards me. Truth be told, I was amazed. "Do you think we can start on it today after school?"

"Today?" I said a little too loudly. Why would anyone want to start on a project right after the teacher assigned it? Oh, right. Because it was due a week from today. On a more positive note, us seniors were excused for a whole week from our classes, letting us have the freedom to use the computers and books as much as we wanted to complete our research.

"Yeah! We could start working in the library after school? What do you think?" Xion asked.

I sighed inwardly. Well, it beats going home. "Sure, why not?"

* * *

><p>School went by faster than I thought. As everyone started to pack up their things, I realized that the two girls who insulted me earlier on in the day, had their eyes glued onto a laptop screen. Whatever they were watching must have been pretty entertaining. My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the call of my name.<p>

"Namine! Ready to go?" Xion asked, walking up to me.

I nodded wordlessly. Xion and I exited the classroom; as we strolled down the corridor, I realized just how big of a chatterbox she was. She talked about anything and everything. First she was rambling playfully about how big of an idiot her best friend was, then she suddenly transitioned to her "annoying" brother. Guess she really needed to release some steam. I wasn't fully aware of what Xion was rambling about, since my mind kept wandering to something much more valuable to think about - my next art masterpiece.

"...Don't you agree, Namine? Don't you think that what he did was a total jackass move?" Xion sighed.

"Sure," I said quietly.

"Do you have any siblings?" Xion asked.

I bit my bottom lip. I never liked talking about anything related to my family, especially my "nonexistent" step sister.

"None," I lied, "I'm an only child."

Xion's smile vanished. "Really? Don't you get...well...lonely sometimes?"

"I don't see how not having a sibling would be enough to call a person lonely." I said.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Xion said, flustered. "I just thought that it would be nice to have someone to talk too at home. Someone other than your parents."

I didn't respond to Xion's statement. I was perfectly fine by myself, and even though my sister and mother live their lives as if I never existed, I was just as happy as any other person living a normal life.

The library was practically full. I guess everyone wanted to get a head start on their projects. All of the library computers were occupied, and nearly all of the laptops had been taken out and used for research purposes. When Xion and I finally found a spot, my legs started to ache from all the walking. Yes, the library was _that_ big.

"Good thing I brought my laptop, eh?" Xion chuckled. She placed her laptop on the table and switched it on. "The Chemistry part shouldn't be too difficult."

I nodded. "Biology shouldn't be a problem either." I added. "Physics would be more challenging, but it shouldn't be that big of a problem."

"Yeah. We could research how we can distribute it to the people living in third world countries, and the shipping costs and all of that stuff."

Xion and I decided that we could work on our individual parts at home. Right now, we needed to figure out how to present our information. Posters, power-point, and all of the occasional stuff came up in our conversation. But nothing seemed to fit our tastes. Xion and I were on the same page; we wanted something that would really captivate our marker.

"For starters...we could just draw out the plant on like a large piece of paper and go from there?" Xion sighed.

"I could do the drawing," I offered quietly.

"Can you draw?" Xion gasped.

Why did I feel somewhat offended by that question? "Yeah. I draw in my spare time."

"Really?" Xion smiled. "Now I'm_ really_ glad to be paired up with you!"

Why did I get the sense that Xion was somewhat impulsive? "Oh, so you weren't happy before?" I said jokingly. Xion bit her bottom lip. "I think we can decide on the whole presentation later." I continued, knowing what the answer was. I didn't need to know what sorts of false things people were saying, especially about me.

Xion nodded wordlessly. From then on, our conversation remained strictly on the project. I realized that Xion was pretty hardworking when working under pressure. She hated the fact that we weren't taking the lead anymore; from the conversations we heard around us, some groups have already got a solid foundation to build their project off of.

It was getting late. When Xion and I finally decided to call it a night, we realized that we were the only ones left in the library.

"Are you driving home?" Xion asked.

I shook my head, "I walk home."

"What?" Xion said, a little too loudly. "You can't walk home this late! It's...late!"

I shrugged; this wasn't the first time. "It's fine, really. I could take the bus if I want too. But I don't - "

"What if like...someone kidnaps you?" Xion screamed.

I laughed. "No one is going to kidnap me."

"No," Xion said sternly. "I'm not letting you walk back all alone! Where do you live?"

"Radiant Gardens," I replied.

Xion clapped her hands together, "That's not too far from where I live! Hey, I'll call my brother to see if he can give us a ride home."

"What?" I said, taking a step forward. "No. You don't have to bother him. I'm perfectly capable of - "

"I'm not letting you walk home by yourself," Xion snapped angrily, as she fished out her phone. I was shocked by her tone. She gave me a look that I didn't dare try responding too. "Hey Roxas," she said, glancing at the ceiling as she talked. "Are you still at school?" The way Xion talked to her brother was like how people would talk to a really close friend - the occasional insults here and there, and cracking a few jokes right after. "Great, come meet us at the library!"

If someone gave us an overcoat and a tattered hat, we could pull off looking like a hobo on the street. Xion and I were sitting in front of the library doors (which was now locked). My legs were stretched outwards, and my gaze was glued onto the pavement. I wasn't surprised that Xion and I weren't saying a word to each other. Our discussion about the project was over; there was nothing else to say.

"Hey,"

I nearly jumped at the male voice. Immediately, Xion got to her feet. "You smell like sweat," she laughed.

"Well, sorry," Roxas said, rolling his eyes. "I just finished track practice."

As they continued their conversation, I didn't look at them. There was something about Roxas that made me feel extremely uneasy. His opalescent eyes were the exact same shade as Xion's. Even though he just finished rigorous training practice, his dark blond hair still remained stylishly spiked.

"Oh, this is Namine, by the way," Xion said brightly.

I glanced at him and forced a smile; Roxas nodded in acknowledgement. I got to my feet, and gripped onto my bag strap.

"Where does she live?" Roxas asked.

"Radiant Gardens," Xion responded.

As we walked down the hallway, I felt so oblivious to their conversation. I sighed inwardly. How did it come down to this? Suddenly, Xion turned around and gave me a look of disbelief.

"Can you _believe_ that we're twins?" Xion asked. I looked at her; they didn't look anything alike, except for their eyes. But their personalities were somewhat the same, I realized. Roxas was like a calmer version of Xion, in a way. "I can't believe I'm actually _related_ to this guy,"

"Stop your complaining," Roxas replied nonchalantly, "You should be pretty damn happy that you're related to someone as awesome as me."

"Oh, please," Xion scowled. "I bet you haven't even started on the project,"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Roxas frowned, as he pushed open the doors.

The crisp breeze felt soothing against my skin. The scent of winter was in the air - then again, December was right around the corner.

"You should start soon. I wouldn't want people spreading rumours of how big of an idiot my brother is." Xion teased playfully, "that'll damage my reputation too!"

"Oh, so you're saying you actually got work done today?" Roxas retorted.

"Of course!" Xion turned to face me, "Right, Namine?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Roxas staring at me. I nodded slowly.

"She's your partner?" Roxas asked, as he opened the backseat door.

"Yeah," Xion replied, stepping into the passenger seat. "Why else are we together at this hour?"

"How should I know?" Roxas said, rolling his eyes. "Unlike you, I don't butt into other people's business."

Like a gentleman, Roxas opened the door and used a hand gesture to signal me inside. Even though I felt uncomfortable at his strange action, I muttered a quick thanks and stepped into the expensive car. Roxas closed the door and flashed me a look that made me shiver.


	3. What the Hell?

**A/N: **Not much to say but a big thank you to:** xSmielage** for giving me this idea. If you read his/her review, you'll know what I mean.

'Oppa' is pronounced as 'oh-pah' I hope that helps with pronunciation.

Thanks for reading.

* * *

><p><strong>What the Hell?<strong>

When I climbed into bed that right, Roxas' look flashed for an instant inside my mind. I pulled the covers over my head, wanting to rid the image from my mind. Throughout the ride home, Roxas and Xion were heavily engaged in a conversation. It was like they were in their own little world. Even though Xion attempted to include me here and there, I said nothing more than a couple of words here and there.

Occasionally, I caught Roxas' stare in the rear-view mirror. I would be lying if I said that it didn't bother me. What was he staring at? What did he want? The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got. His stares weren't the ones that you simply shrug off. It felt uncomfortable and irritating. Then again, maybe I was just thinking too much. Maybe this fatigue was finally getting the best of me.

Namine Maria Avery, snap out of it.

* * *

><p>When I woke up the next morning, I felt oddly refreshed. I placed a hand on my forehead; even though I felt slightly better than yesterday, it still wasn't enough to motivate me to get my butt out of bed. I mean, who would <em>want<em> to go to school? As I slowly closed my eyes, the sudden slam of the basement door made my heart jump out of my chest. I bit back a scream and scrambled out of bed. It took me less than a second to realize who was now storming down the stairs.

"Namine!" my mother barked. I froze. Before I could respond, my bedroom door opened. "There you are! Don't you know you're going to be late?" I didn't even get a chance to open my mouth before she snapped at me again. "Don't just stand there! Move!"

I grabbed whatever I could find in my closet and bounded towards the door. Before I could close it, someone grabbed my wrist. Startled, I whipped around, finding my stepmother glaring at me with those terrifying jade colored eyes.

"Y-yes?" I choked out. That took too much effort.

"We are meeting important people this evening, and I don't want you to look like you just crawled out of a dump." my stepmother growled. I stood there, traumatized. Staring into those intimidating eyes made me shiver. My stepmother loosened her grip. "Faye will be cleaning you up once you get back. And I will not tolerate lateness, understand?"

I nodded wordlessly. I didn't dare to question who we were meeting. That would only infuriate her more. I've learned from past experiences to never ask any "unnecessary"questions when it came to my stepmother. As long as I followed her orders, she was happy. And if she was happy, I would be content. As she made her way up the stairs, I scurried to the wash-room.

I shut the door behind me; I hated the sick feeling that always stirred inside me every time I see her. Even though we live in the same house, it was absolute torture for me to be in a five meter radius of her. I shook my head furiously; this was not the time to be thinking of these things.

In a rush, I stripped off my pajamas and threw on the clothes that I carelessly grabbed from my closet. After finishing my usual morning routine, I rushed into my room. I grabbed my bag that was sitting beside my bed, and swung it over my shoulder. Before I sprinted outside, I took a glimpse at myself in the mirror. My sweatpants were dragging on the floor; the shirt was a bit too large for me, but that shouldn't be much of a problem.

I rushed upstairs - just in time to see my stepsister grab her car keys. We made eye contact for a brief second before she hurried out the door. Faye was always in a rush; I guess it was because she's always so involved in school. Before rushing out the door, I sprinted into the kitchen. To my surprise, I found a piece of burnt toast in the toaster. After debating for a couple seconds, I grabbed the toast, popped it into my mouth, and rushed out the door.

It felt chilly, and I somewhat regretted not grabbing a jacket before I left. I hated winter with a passion. It was always painfully cold, and I hate the feeling of soaked socks. The only favorable thing about winter was its breathtaking scenery.

I turned the corner; in the distance, I saw many cars lined up in front of the school gate. Just as I was about to speed up, a dark gray Lexus Lfa sped past me. Startled, a yelp escaped my lips. As the car got closer to the school, I squinted my eyes. It was Roxas Decastro's car.

I quickened my pace; it wasn't the time to be thinking of such things. When I finally made it to the school gate, the bell sounded. Students scurried inside, and as I stopped to take a breath, I noticed a boy with light blond hair wearing a white toque. My gaze lingered on him for a few seconds before he noticed. His lips curved into a faint smile - at least, I think that was a smile. I recognized the boy as Seifer Cambron, a graduate from Gekoukan Academy.

I rushed inside the school without looking back. When I arrived at my classroom, the bell sounded. Inside, the students were chattering. Ever since the project commenced, everyone's been hogging laptops, computers, the library, and the cafeteria. It was crazy. I spotted Xion sitting at the back of the room, typing furiously on her laptop.

"Hey," I greeted.

Xion stopped typing and smiled at me. "Hey, Namine! I'm glad you made it home safe." she winked.

"Me too," I rolled my eyes discreetly, as I sat down in my seat.

Xion laughed and turned the laptop screen towards me, "Anyway, I found some great stuff that we can use."

"That's cool," I replied.

"Hey, Xion,"

Xion and I glanced up. The two disrespectful girls from yesterday was standing in front of us. One of them wore a blank expression while the other had a timid smile plastered on her face.

"Hey," Xion greeted pleasantly. "Do you need something?"

"Actually, we are having a tough time with our own project," one of them said quietly. "We were wondering if you could give us some ideas."

Xion and I exchanged a glance. I had a feeling that they were up to something; I could feel it. Xion closed her laptop screen straight away; I could tell that she didn't want them to discover our brilliant idea - let alone plagiarize.

"I would, but Namine and I are pretty busy with our own." Xion answered politely. "I'm sure you guys will come up with something." Both of them did not look too happy. After a moment of silence, they excused themselves and scurried out the door. Xion narrowed her eyes, and opened her laptop. "We should be more cautious." I stared at her. "You never know when a couple of copycats might come along."

I shrugged, "I doubt anyone will find out anyway."

"You never know!" Xion snapped. "I had a friend two years ago whose idea got plagiarized and she had to change her project completely in the span of two days."

My eyes widened, "Didn't she try to explain?"

"She did, but-" Xion stopped and sighed. "It was complicated. Let's just not talk about that crap." Even though my curiosity was getting the best of me, I nodded. "Come on, let's go somewhere quieter. I don't think I'll be able to concentrate with all this noise."

Xion and I stood up, "I don't think the library will be any better." I reminded her. "The cafeteria wouldn't be a good idea either."

"Just as long as we're in a quiet room with a plug, we're set." Xion replied. She stuck her hand into her bag and pulled out the latest version of the Macbook Pro. "I brought this so you wouldn't have to wrestle anyone for the computers." she grinned widely.

"A-are you really letting me use that?" I stammered.

Xion arched a brow, "Of course! That's why I brought it, duh!" she laughed. "Come on, let's go find a quieter place to work."

We sauntered through the corridor. Most of the people we passed were seniors rushing up and down the halls with papers and laptops in their hands. As Xion and I passed the crowded cafeteria, I noticed Riku and Demyx waving frantically at her. However, Xion didn't seem to notice.

"Xion," I said quietly.

"Hm?" she spun around and caught the waves of her two friends. "Wow," she laughed. "Do you mind if we go in for a minute?"

"I'll wait out here." I replied.

Xion's smile faded, but she nodded otherwise. A few students turned her way, greeting Xion as she entered. As I leaned against the large glass, I saw Xion chatting happily with Riku and Demyx. I tapped my fingers against the railing; when I glanced at them again, I saw Demyx pointing at me.

I looked around. When I looked at him again, he smiled widely. He pointed at me again and signaled me to come inside with his hand. Before I could react, Xion smacked him across the head. Demyx cringed; he diverted his attention towards Xion and started to poke her sides. They looked like such great friends. I didn't want to admit it, but I felt a bit...jealous? Envious? There was a part of me that wanted to go and converse with them, but another part that screamed otherwise. Xion waved goodbye and emerged from the cafeteria.

"Sorry about that," Xion apologized.

"Oh, no, it's fine," I replied.

"Demyx can be a little strange," Xion said, as we started walking again. "Don't mind him,"

I scratched my head. What was I supposed to say to that? We turned the corner, and found an empty classroom that wasn't being used. Xion and I glanced at each other and nodded simultaneously. She slowly knocked on the door to grab the attention of the teacher who was sitting at his desk.

"Oh hi, Xion," the teacher greeted.

"Hi, we were wondering if we can work in your classroom, since everywhere else is getting to be pretty distracting."

"Not a problem," he replied, "I'm leaving right about now though. Can you close the door when you're done? It'll lock itself automatically."

Xion smiled, "Of course! Thank you,"

We walked inside, and before we sat down at two empty desks, the teacher smiled at me. I've seen this teacher a couple of times; if I remember correctly, he was a physics teacher. I smiled back and sat down next to Xion. She turned on her Macbook and passed it to me.

In a few moments, we were diligently filling in our booklets and gathering all the information that we could from various websites. As time passed, I realized that Xion and I barely spoke a word to each other, and for some reason, I felt strangely uncomfortable. I wouldn't say that I'm used to the 'happy-go-lucky' Xion, but maybe it would be nice if we talked.

"How's your part going?" I asked, breaking the long silence for the first time.

"Extremely boring," Xion sighed heavily. "Yours?"

"Not too bad." I replied. Suddenly, Xion gasped loudly. I arched a brow and stood up, "Were you playing solitaire all this time?" I asked, bewildered. "Looks like you placed that seven in the wrong row."

"Yeah...Ugh! Stupid, stupid me," Xion frowned.

"Have you done any work at all?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Xion quickly pulled up her browser to show that she had been researching throughout the time that we were here. "I was being productive! I swear!" she said loudly. "Look!" Xion held up her booklet that was almost half filled. "See!"

I smiled. "You sound really cute," I commented.

Xion laughed, "I get that a lot. I don't know, I just panic when I think people are going to start yelling at me." Xion minimized her browser and stood up, "I'll be right back. I swear my bladder is about to explode. Feel free to play solitaire if you want. It'll be a nice break!"

I sat down in my chair and continued my research. After a couple minutes of yawning and daydreaming, I finally gave in. My head was on the table, and I was craving my bed.

Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door.

"Xion?" a familiar voice called out. I turned around; my eyes slightly widened to see Roxas Decastro standing at the doorway, looking around the room. He looked at me, with a blank expression on his face. "Isn't my annoying sister here?"

I sat up, "she went to the washroom," I replied.

"Oh," Roxas replied bluntly.

Thinking that he was going to leave, I buried my head inside my arms. As my eyes fluttered close, I heard footsteps approaching the table. Not thinking much about it, I drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly, I heard muffled voices, which managed to wake me. I groaned softly and covered my ears with my hands. What the hell? I sat upright, feeling annoyed that I didn't get at least five minutes of sleep. There, sitting in front of me, was Roxas Decastro. His eyes were glued onto Xion's laptop screen, and he had a large smile plastered on his face. What was he still doing here?

"Oh, did I wake you?" Roxas asked nonchalantly. His eyes remained fixed on the screen.

My jaw dropped slightly. No, _of course_ you didn't. I rolled my eyes, and turned my attention onto the Macbook screen. "No," I muttered through gritted teeth.

With the show that Roxas was watching on Xion's computer, I couldn't concentrate. I seriously wanted to scream. Before I had a chance to say anything, Roxas erupted into laughter.

I sighed heavily, "Hey," I said. He ignored me. "Hey," I said again, a little louder this time. Extremely irritated, I stood up and swiftly closed the screen of Xion's laptop. "Hey!" I snapped angrily.

Roxas had an innocuous look on his face that made me want to erupt. "That wasn't very nice. I was watching something, you know," he said.

"I know," I muttered, "I'm trying to work here. Do you mind going somewhere else?" I asked as politely as I could.

Roxas propped both of his elbows on the table, "Why?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Because I'm trying to work?" I replied angrily. "Don't you have your own project to worry about?"

Roxas smirked, "I would, if my parter wasn't hogging the whole project to himself. If you wanna get rid of me, I suggest you go and talk to him, miss Namine,"

I clenched my fist. Don't do it, Namine. Punching him will earn you nothing but a trip down to the principal's office. "Xion should be back any minute. Why don't you wait outside for her?" I suggested.

"I don't want too. What's wrong with waiting in here?" Roxas fired back.

I sat down in my seat, "can you be more quiet then?" I mumbled.

"Sure," Roxas shrugged.

The room was silent. As I scribbled down a few notes on my paper, I couldn't ignore the feeling of being watched. Every time I glanced up, Roxas was fiddling with his cell phone. Maybe I was thinking too much. I stared at the laptop screen and wrote down the URL address in my booklet. It was then did I notice a pair of eyes on me. I dropped my pencil in annoyance.

I knew it.

I glanced up and saw Roxas looking at me with his big azure eyes. His face looked so innocent - similar to Xion's when she was in her flustered state.

"Is there something on my face?" I asked. Roxas tilted his head. Instead of replying to my question, he leaned closer until he was an inch away. I frowned, not liking the proximity. I pushed myself back and glared at him. "Excuse my rudeness, but can you go somewhere else? You're getting annoying and I really want to get some work done."

Roxas arched a brow, "I don't know what you're talking about. You asked me to be quiet, so I am. Is there a rule that I can't look at someone? If you were so concentrated on your work, you wouldn't have noticed me in the first place." I really wanted to punch something. Before I could argue back, Roxas gave me an intimidating look. "If you want me to leave so bad, then I will. But on one condition." I narrowed my eyes. Conditions are never good, especially from a boy. Roxas took my silence as a yes, "Since I am older than you," he started.

"By only a few months," I grumbled.

Roxas leaned forward, closing the distance between us, "you should be more respectful to your seniors." Me? Being respectful to someone like him after that inconsiderate act? Oh, please. "Don't you think, Namine?" The way my name rolled off his tongue so easily disgusted me.

"What's your condition?" I said bitterly.

"You should be addressing me properly by calling me your sunbae." Roxas said, with a playful smile, "but instead, you can call me 'oppa'."

"What?" I asked, arching a brow.

"Just do it," Roxas said nonchalantly.

"No," I snapped, completely flustered. Heck, I don't even know what that means.

Roxas shrugged, "Okay, fine with me. Guess I'm not leaving,"

"W-what does that mean anyway?" I asked, curiously.

Roxas gave me a look, "I'll tell you after you say it."

"No," I frowned.

"Whatever floats your boat~" Roxas sang.

I watched as he pulled out his phone and resumed a game. I turned my attention to the laptop screen, and exited out of the website I was on. As much as I tried to concentrate, I still couldn't ignore the constant staring from him. Finally, I admitted defeat. If he wouldn't move, then I will. I stood up and grabbed my things. Since Roxas and Xion were siblings, he could stay and watch her stuff. I've had enough.

"Oi, where are you going?" Roxas asked.

Away from you was what I really wanted to say. "Washroom," I muttered, as I walked towards the open door.

"Well, tell Xion that I stopped by," Roxas said, as he got to his feet.

I whipped around, "Where are you going?"

Roxas pointed to his white iPhone, "Partner messaged me. He finally needs help on something." I sighed softly. Finally, he was leaving. As I walked towards my seat, he suddenly blocked my path. My brows furrowed; I glanced at him, unsure of what he was getting at. "Are you going to say it or not?"

"No," I frowned. I moved to the left, but he blocked my way.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," I muttered. I moved to the right, but Roxas was one step ahead of me. "What do you want?" I screamed. "Your partner is waiting for you. You wouldn't want to keep him waiting now, would you?"

"Why do girls make things so complicated? It's so easy to get me to leave, but you're just being so stubborn about it. I'm not wasting your time. You're wasting your own time."

"But you're wasting your time by wasting my time," I retorted.

Roxas opened his mouth, about to fire another comeback. But we were interrupted by a familiar voice at the doorway, "Roxas!" I turned around, finding a surprised Xion. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming til later!"

"Well, I got bored," Roxas muttered, "Besides, Vanitas has been hogging the whole damn thing to himself."

"Shouldn't you be glad?" Xion snickered, "you're not doing any work."

"Hey," Roxas snapped, "I actually want to contribute thank you very much."

"So, what are you guys doing?" Xion asked, raising a brow. She stuck out her index finger and pointed from side to side. It was then did I notice how close Roxas and I were to each other. "Argument?" Xion smirked.

"No," we said in unison.

"Hard to believe," Xion laughed.

Roxas rolled his eyes, "I'm leaving now. I'll see you at lunch." he said, briskly walking past me.

"See you," Xion waved, with a childish grin on her face.

Xion rushed towards me and sat in her desk, "Sorry about that, I needed to find a pad," she whispered. "I was going to come find you, but I found Olette instead. Thank God she had one."

"Oh," I said, "It's okay. Things happen,"

Xion's eyebrow rose once she realized her laptop screen was down. "I swear I left this up," she said, scratching her head. "Am I hallucinating?"

"No," I sighed. "Roxas was watching some show...and I closed it because it was getting really distracting."

"You closed it on him?" Xion asked, she grinned widely.

"Yeah," I muttered. "I guess that was a bit rude, huh?"

Xion went silent. I blushed at how stupid I probably sounded.

"Not at all," Xion giggled, "He _can_ be really childish. I hope he didn't annoy you too much."

As Xion opened her laptop screen, I chewed at my bottom lip, wondering whether or not to bring up the conversation Roxas and I had earlier. Maybe Xion would be familiar with those words he said. They sounded Korean, but I wasn't too sure. It was during times like these when I wished I enrolled into a language class. "Can I ask you something?" I asked quietly.

"Go for it," Xion said, as she pulled out a bag of crackers from her bag.

"The words 'sunbae' and 'oppa'...what do they mean?"

Xion opened the bag and stuck her hand inside, "Where did you hear that from?"

"Just...curious," I said, as she offered me some chips. I shook my head as I continued, "I heard it a couple times on the streets and stuff. And I thought maybe you would know what it means."

"Oh," Xion laughed, "Sunbae is a term that people use when addressing their seniors. Whether it be school or a workplace. But only girls can use the term 'oppa', you would technically be calling that person your 'older brother'."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked, surprised at her knowledge.

"Roxas and I are taking a Korean language course." Xion replied nonchalantly, "it's pretty interesting! Plus we watch a lot of Asian variety shows during our spare time...we've grown to like the culture and stuff." she smiled.

I was in awe. If only I was in a language course can I insult anyone I want, as long as they didn't understand what I was talking about. I propped my elbow on the table. Calling Roxas my senior? Older brother? That was a thought that brought an amused smile to my face.

* * *

><p>I had to sprint home once the school bell rang. My stepmother would be home, and I would hate to be the one who gets on her bad side. As I ran home, I saw a car parked in our driveway. Immediately, I knew it was Faye's.<p>

Once I got inside, I saw Faye sitting on the couch, wearing an elegant white dress that reached until her knees. She was wearing make-up, and bracelets covered her wrists.

"There you are!" I hear my stepmother snap. "Go get changed. We're leaving soon."

I sprinted down the stairs. When I opened my bedroom door, I was stunned to see a light green dress sitting on my bed. It wasn't the most gorgeous dress in the world, but it was a hundred times better than any outfit in my closet. When I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, I quickly closed the door and got changed. I didn't need anyone screaming in my face. A knock came at the doorway, and once I got my dress zipped up, I opened it.

"I'm doing your hair for you," Faye said dryly. "Come on,"

This was the first time we spoke in a long time. I followed her to the bathroom, and once we were inside, she closed the door. She grabbed a comb, and in her hand was a few accessories that I realized was from her room. Faye wasted no time in combing through my disastrous hair; she yanked at the tangles, making me cringe. Couldn't she handle it in a nicer way?

"Do you know...who we are meeting?" I asked quietly.

Faye didn't respond. Instead she tied my hair back into a high ponytail and placed a red flower accessory where you would usually see the hair tie.

"I don't know what else to do with your hair. You look presentable anyway." Faye said with a shrug. "Now, turn around."

"What else are you going to do?" I mumbled quietly.

"Make-up. You know that mom will freak if you go there without any on."

Faye's words were dry, and she showed no enthusiasm. Maybe she wasn't keen on wherever we were going too. After a few minutes, I glanced at my reflection. The foundation she put on hid most of the flaws on my face. My cheeks were rosy, and I realized that she put on eyeliner as well. To be honest, I did like my new look to a certain extent. It made me look...better, prettier, more presentable than how I usually looked.

"Come on," Faye said, "Mom's getting impatient."

Faye and I jogged up the stairs, being careful not to rip our dresses. My stepmother had an elegant gown, and she was staring at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair.

"Mom, she's ready," Faye said.

My stepmother whipped around. She surveyed me like I was a specimen from a lab. "Good, at least she doesn't look like how she usually does."

I rolled my eyes as she passed. We exited the house, and there I saw an elderly man waiting in front of a large, black car. Sebastian, he was our butler. Well, my stepmom's to be more exact. He would address Faye and I not by our first names, but our last, along with a 'Ms.' attached. Sebastian opened the door for my mother and she stepped inside. Faye got in second, and I got in third.

As much as I wanted to ask who we were meeting, I knew it was better to keep my mouth shut. My eyes were glued onto the scenery that rushed by. Pedestrians were a complete blur of colors, and the trees seem to fly by. I thought I would be able to recognize the area, but to my dismay, nothing seemed familiar.

When the car finally stopped, Faye and I gaped at the large high-class restaurant that stood in front of us. We glanced at each other for a brief second before stepping out of the car. I've never seen anything like it.

"Hurry up!" my mother snapped at us.

Faye and I scurried behind her. I looked more like a lost puppy than Faye did. Unlike me, Faye was more exposed to these types of things. When we got inside, my jaw nearly dropped at the fancy attire, and the delicious aroma of food. "Good evening, Ms. Saunders!" a hearty voice resonated throughout the area.

"Good evening!" my mother grinned pleasantly, putting on her fake façade.

The man looked like in his late thirties. He was wearing a black and white suit like all the others, but his had a gold rose pinned on his left.

"You have two very lovely daughters," he complimented, as he glanced our way.

Faye did a small curtsy. I simply stared blankly ahead. When I caught my mother's glare, I forced an innocent smile at the man.

"Hey dad, sorry we took so long,"

Faye and I turned towards two boys who came out of the restroom. One of them had blond, spiky hair. He had a pair of shades tucked in at the collar of his suit, and I have to admit, he looked...handsome. I couldn't help but wonder what was with the blond hair trend these days.

"Meet my two sons," the man introduced. The one that caught my gaze stepped forward, "Cloud Cambron. He's in his last year of University now." Cambron! I had to mask my amazement. When Cloud stepped to the side, a familiar looking boy with light blond hair stepped forward. My eyes widened, realizing the familiar face. His hair was a lighter shade than his brother's, and his blue-green eyes slowly drifted towards us. "And this is my youngest son, Seifer Cambron," the man continued. "Maybe your daughters are familiar with him? Since he is a recent graduate of Gekoukan Academy."

Oh, I know I am.


	4. Adding Oil to the UnLit Fire

**Adding Oil to the Un-Lit Fire**

When we arrived at the table, the food was placed immediately, like it was ordered beforehand. I swallowed the lump in my throat. Despite the delicious dishes that were only in an arms reach away, I had no appetite. I glanced to my right; my stepmother had a sickening sweet smile plastered on her face. I glanced to my left; Seifer Cambron looked my way, like he knew my stare was coming. He was skillfully working his way at the steaming steak on his plate. I quickly avoided his gaze.

"Namine? Aren't you going to eat?" Seifer's father asked with a smile. "You should eat, dear. There's so much to choose from!"

I smiled at him. As I picked up my silverware, I could feel a dangerous aura radiating from my mother. "Here, Namine," my mother's tone was laced with bitterness.

"Thank you," I replied politely. She placed a large piece of steak on my plate. I wasn't a vegetarian, but I wasn't a big fan of meat. Hesitatingly, I started slicing the steak. I could feel a pair of eyes on me but as I looked around the table, everyone was happily chatting with each other. Since Faye and Cloud were sitting beside each other, they were pretty much forced to talk. And of course, the adults were talking about something that was completely oblivious to the rest of us.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want too, you know," a voice whispered in my ear. Slowly, I turned to my left. I wasn't expecting to see Seifer Cambron staring at me with a small smile on his face. Or, was that a smirk? I couldn't tell. "Why don't you try some of these instead?" Seifer grabbed a few vegetables and dumped it on my plate.

"T-thanks," I said quietly. I stabbed my fork into a piece of broccoli and brought it to my lips. As I took a peek at Seifer, I saw that he was talking with his father. During Seifer's days at Gekoukan Academy, I saw him as someone who was full of confidence extremely carefree. During my first year, I actually admired him to some extent. Like I mentioned, he was confident and confidence was a quality that I found extremely attractive.

I cleared my throat softly and stood up.

"I'm going to the washroom, so if you would excuse me," I said politely.

As I walked towards the bathroom, I could feel someone's stare. But as I turned, no one was even looking my way. I turned and shook my head slightly. I must be hallucinating or something.

As I emerged from the bathroom stall, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. The girl that I saw in the mirror was definitely not the usual Namine that I see every day. This girl was much prettier, looks so much more sophisticated, and (appearance wise) would actually fit in this crazy family that the old Namine never adapted too. I expelled the thought from my head. As I washed my hands with soap, the bathroom door opened. I glanced up and saw that it was Faye.

"Hi," I greeted politely. "How's the dinner?"

Faye stopped. She glanced at me but remained silent. I watched her as she walked into an empty bathroom stall. What was I expecting? For us to actually talk? Pfft, yeah, okay. Keep dreaming, Namine. I dried my hands with a couple of paper towels before exiting the bathroom.

Just as I walked out, I collided into someone. I stumbled but managed to keep my balance. "You should be more careful," a familiar voice echoed in my eardrums.

"I'm sorry," I said out of reflex. When I glanced up, my eyes widened.

Seifer and I were only inches apart. It was then did I realize how tall he was. He gave me a perplexed look, and instantly, I turned away.

"You didn't really look comfortable back there. Are you sure you want to go back?" he asked.

I laughed hesitantly, "I wasn't uncomfortable. You're just imagining things,"

Seifer clicked his tongue, "Really?" he flashed me another stare, "Okay. Whatever you say,"

As I watched Seifer push open the bathroom door, I felt uneasiness stirring inside me.

The rest of the dinner was... debatable. Other than the occasional glares I received from my stepmother, it had been a pretty enjoyable night. When we exited the restaurant, the adults shook hands and continued on a conversation they had going before we left. I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, as I noticed Cloud and Faye waving good-bye to each other with a smile on their faces. I was like an outcast.

"Hey," Seifer said, his tone laced with amusement. I turned around. "You're not being very polite, aren't you?" his lips curved into a smirk.

"Huh?" I replied dumbly, not understanding what he meant.

Seifer arched a brow, "Are you just naturally awkward around people?"

I frowned, "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, feeling quite offended.

Seifer shrugged, "I don't know. Throughout the whole evening, you've been acting...strange," he said nonchalantly.

My brows furrowed. "You're imagining things. I had a very enjoyable evening."

"You're an interesting little girl, Namine,"

Before I could respond, I was whisked away by my mother who was also ushering Faye to the car, where Sebastian was awaiting us.

* * *

><p>It was 9:30pm by the time we arrived home. As I took off my shoes, I scurried to the basement door, wanting to remove the makeup off my face and crawl into bed.<p>

"Namine," my mother's stern voice resonated throughout the quiet house. Faye, who was heading upstairs, stopped to listen as well.

"Yes, mother?" I asked quietly.

My mother was sitting on the sofa. She patted the empty seat beside her, her lips forming a neat line. The blank expression on her face sent shivers throughout my body. I quietly made my way towards the large couches. My mother glanced at Faye (who I assumed was still staring at us from the staircase) and signaled her to come and join us.

Once Faye and I were seated, my mother crossed her legs. "I know both of you are wondering why this evening was so important." Faye and I glanced at each other. "L.D Enterprise will be merging with Cambron Corporations. Of course, this has yet to be confirmed, but I will ensure that this merge happens."

"But why?" Faye asked. When I looked at her face, I could tell she regretted her words.

"Why? This will secure the future of L.D Enterprise. You wouldn't want your mother's company to go bankrupt now, would you?" my stepmother replied calmly. Faye was silent. "From now on, we will be meeting with the Cambrons more often. Not only do I have to maintain my clean image, but you two _must_ be on good terms with Jason Cambron's sons. Do you understand me? I will not tolerate any rude behaviour from either of you. Especially you, Namine,"

"I understand..." I said quietly with a nod.

My mother stood up, "Now go to bed. Both of you have school tomorrow,"

Immediately, Faye and I stood up. She jogged up the stairs while I hurried to the basement. Before walking into the bathroom, I grabbed a clean t-shirt and black shorts. I stripped out of the green dress and hung it on the bathroom door. Once dressed in my PJ's, I splashed some cool water onto my face.

When I entered my bedroom, I saw that it was already 10:15. I glanced at my backpack that was stuffed with project-related things. Before I left school, Xion and I had agreed to exchange the information we collected tomorrow. I groaned. I guess I'll just have to go early tomorrow to get it done; I didn't want to be holding us back.

* * *

><p>My eyes snapped open as the sunlight poured onto my face. I groaned softly, dying to get some more sleep. But there was work to be done. I forced myself out of bed, and grabbed whatever I could find in my closet. Once dressed, I didn't bother brushing my hair, but instead, tied it into a messy bun. After finishing my morning routine, I grabbed the dress that was still hanging on my bathroom door and sprinted upstairs.<p>

I peeked outside and found Faye's car still parked in the driveway. I placed the dress on the couch and started preparing a small breakfast. Once the toast was done, I had already finished my milk. I popped the toast into my mouth, swung my bag over my shoulder and headed out the door.

For once, there weren't multiple cars lined up at the school gate. I entered the school, and made a stop at my locker before heading to the library. When I opened the library doors, it was completely empty. Well, _almost_. Sitting in front of a computer was a boy with jet-black gravity defying hair and gold colored eyes. When I walked past, he didn't even look up from his screen.

Once I tore my gaze off of him, I saw another boy with his head on the table. As I got closer, I saw that underneath his arms was a Chemistry textbook. I didn't need to see his face to know that it was Roxas Decastro. That fashionably spiked blond hair was a huge trademark of his.

"Hey," I hear a voice call behind me. I turned to see the boy that I saw earlier staring at me. "Could you wake him up for me and tell him to grab the paper from the SAC? The printer here is out of ink. I need to go grab something." I glanced around and pointed at myself for confirmation. "Yes, you. Who else could I possibly be talking too? Sheesh." he rolled his eyes.

As the boy exited the library, I glanced at Roxas, who looked like he was in a deep sleep. I did feel a bit guilty for disturbing his sleep, but the thought of him being so rude yesterday was enough to make the feeling vanish.

"Hey," I said in his ear. When I received no reply, I shook him violently, but Roxas didn't even budge nor make a sound. When Ria said he was a heavy sleeper, she was right. "Hey!" I shouted loudly. Roxas tilted his head slightly.

"Olette..." he murmured softly. It was barely audible.

My eyebrow rose. Without giving it much thought, I flicked his forehead; that did the trick. "HEY!" Roxas bolted upright. His face was scrunched up like he just ate something sour. Both of his hands were on his forehead. He bit his bottom lip and turned towards me with a nasty look on his face. "What was that for?" he shouted bitterly.

"Payback," I muttered quietly. "Your friend...er-your partner asked me to wake you up," I said loudly.

Roxas glanced around, "Where is he?"

"He went to grab something. He also said to go grab the paper from the printer in the SAC." I replied, walking away. Roxas sighed. As I sat down at a different table, I could feel his stare on me. "What?" I asked, looking at him in annoyance.

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Working," I muttered.

"Studious, I see," Roxas smirked.

I frowned. "Just go grab your paper," I mumbled.

Roxas propped his elbow on the table. He gave me an annoying look that made me grip my pencil tighter. I hurriedly took out the textbook from my bag and placed it upright in front of me. After blocking that irritating blond out of my sight, I flipped my booklet open and started jotting down notes.

Before I could even finish a point, I felt an unwelcomed presence looming over me. "What?" I snapped.

"Perhaps you've forgotten, but the SAC isn't open this early." Roxas replied casually.

"And that is my problem because...?" I gave him a blank stare.

"Since my partner isn't here, you can keep me company,"

I narrowed my eyes, "Perhaps you've forgotten, but I came here to work, not to socialize."

Roxas jumped from the table. He pulled out the chair beside mine and sat down. "I didn't say you couldn't work."

"You're asking me to socialize with you. Clearly, you're being a nuisance."

"I didn't say you had to respond, did I? You can choose to ignore me," Roxas retorted, with a shrug,

I clenched my fist. Instead of continuing this pointless argument, I picked up my pencil and flipped through the textbook. As I jotted down notes, I could hear laugher and chatter beside me. I turned my head, wanting to know where all this racket was coming from. Roxas had his iPhone in his hand - a large smile plastered on his face. I glanced at at his phone and frowned.

"There's a thing called earphones. Ever heard of it?" I snapped.

Roxas' eyes flickered towards me, "Someone's feisty today,"

"Someone's being a jerk today," I muttered.

"What was that?" Roxas stopped whatever he was watching.

"Nothing," I said loudly, resuming my note taking.

"You do know that you're being quite disrespectful to me right now. Don't forget, I'm older than you."

His voice sounded closer than before. I turned slightly only to be startled at the proximity between us. I cleared my throat, "We're in the same grade." I mumbled, "Like I said yesterday, you're only a few months older than me, I believe."

"So? I'm _still_ older than you," he replied proudly. Roxas' eyes surveyed my face. I turned the other way, feeling my slightly warm cheeks. "But then again, anyone would look like they're older than you." he continued. "How do I know? Because you look like you're in grade six or something." he smirked.

I whipped around, "So, you're saying I look childish?"

"No, I'm saying you look young. Geez, it's a compliment!" Roxas rolled his eyes. "Besides, look what you're wearing,"

I glanced downwards. "W-what? What's wrong with it?"

"Do you see any other girl in this school dressing like you?" Roxas asked with a smile. His smile looked so genuine that I wasn't sure if he was mocking me or asking a legit question.

Before I could respond, an angry voice snapped at us. "Roxas! What are you doing?" Roxas and I nearly jumped. Roxas' partner was now standing a few feet away with his arms folded across his chest. "You're supposed to be working...not flirting,"

"The SAC isn't open this early, Vanitas," Roxas said calmly. "Unless-" he turned towards me. "She got her words mixed up,"

The one named Vanitas frowned. "That's why you go find a teacher and ask him or her to open the doors, you idiot," he sighed. Vanitas' eyes fell on me, "Sorry if he disturbed you," I waved a hand dismissively. His eyes surveyed me like I was a test subject. I straightened up and glanced at my half filled page. "You look familiar...have we met before?"

"Not that I know of," I replied quietly.

"Judging from her clothes, you can easily tell that she's the school commoner," Roxas said.

I shot him a nasty glare. Vanitas had an amused look on his face. I bit back the harsh words that were on the edge of leaving my lips. As Roxas collected his books, I angrily flipped the textbook page. Watching him and Vanitas leave the library made my stomach churn in disgust. Not yet satisfied, I stuck my tongue out at them as the doors closed.

* * *

><p>I managed to finish comprising my notes before the bell rang. Today wasn't going to be different from any other day ever since the project commenced. As Xion was finishing copying my notes, I stared blankly at the large, white piece of paper sitting in front of me. Instead of focusing on our report, Xion and I decided to dedicate this day on how to present out information (since our report was coming together nicely.)<p>

"Do you need help?" Xion asked, looking up from her notes.

"No, I'm good," I replied.

I placed the tip of the pencil at the top. Glancing at the picture one last time, I started to draw. Every once in a while I would look at the screen, just to make sure I wasn't missing any important details. Once I was finished, I placed the pencil on the table and analyzed my poorly drawn tree.

"Why can't I draw like that?" she sighed.

I turned around, finding Xion looking somewhat frustrated with a mix of happiness. "It's not that good," I replied. "At least...it's not the best I can do,"

Xion rolled her eyes, "Don't be so modest! This is great! Heck, you draw better than half of the students in the school,"

At Xion's comment, a couple of students turned our way. My cheeks colored, as I cleared my throat. "Thanks," I mumbled, glancing around the library. As I did, I spotted Faye, sitting at a computer with Selphie sitting beside her. Before I could turn away, we met each other's gaze. This wasn't the first time that I saw the icy glare in her eyes. But this was the first time that it was directed at me.

* * *

><p>I felt exhausted by the time school ended. Right now, I was craving for hot chocolate and my sketchbook which was sitting on my table at home. As I packed up my things, the classroom door slid open.<p>

"Namine!"

I dropped my pencil case in my bag and turned around, "Ria," I gasped.

Ria closed the door, "How's your project coming along?" she asked with a smile.

I shrugged, "Pretty good, I guess. Sorry that I haven't been visiting much,"

"Nonsense! You and Xion are getting pretty close now, huh?"

I shrugged again, "Somewhat, I guess,"

Ria nudged me in the gut, "Don't be so shy about it," she teased. "I've seen the way you two look at each other now!"

"I know what you mean by that...but if anyone else heard it, they would be getting the wrong idea," I chuckled.

Suddenly, the door slammed open. With an infuriated look on her face, she whipped around, about to give the person a piece of her mind. I swung my bag over my shoulder, and just as I was about to take a step, my jaw dropped.

"Yo," the two boys said simultaneously.

One of them was Axel Owens, and the other...was the arrogant prick that completely ruined my day which was bound to be ruined sooner or later, but he just had go and ruin it early. "What are you doing here?" Ria asked, surprised.

Axel rolled his eyes, "Um, what else? We need a ride home, duh,"

"Where's your car?" Ria asked suspiciously.

"Repairs," both of them replied in unison.

Ria folded her arms, "What did you do to it this time?"

"Nothing!" Axel raised his hands slightly, as if surrendering, "I swear!"

"You didn't lend it to a friend again, did you?" Ria snapped.

"I'm not that stupid to make the same mistake twice." Axel muttered.

Roxas placed his hands together, "Please, Ria. With a cherry on top!"

Ria frowned, "You two are ridiculous. What happened to your car, Roxas?"

"The windshield broke," Roxas said quietly.

"How?" Ria's brow rose.

"I don't know. Go ask the car," Roxas sighed.

Suddenly, Roxas and Axel were shoved to the side. Before any of us could react, Xion screamed my name at the top of her lungs. "Namine! Namine! Are you here?"

"I'm...here," I said, raising my hand slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, hi Ria!" Xion smiled, as she walked inside. Ria smiled in return. "Thank goodness you're still here! I was wondering if you wanted to come over to finish the report!"

I blinked. "Oh-er...I don't think I can today." I said. "My mom is probably expecting me."

"Really?" Xion frowned. "Are you sure? Can't you call her to ask?"

"I...don't have a cell phone," I admitted.

I didn't find not having a cell phone surprising, but apparently, the three of them did. "You don't have a cell phone?" Roxas, Axel and Xion gasped simultaneously.

Xion cleared her throat, clearly embarrassed for sounding so shocked. "Maybe you can come over tomorrow? Well, you have to come sooner or later. Or maybe I could go over to your house and-"

"I should be able to come tomorrow or so." I interrupted. "Don't worry, I will by the end of this week. I have to anyway,"

"Xion, I assume you need a ride home too since Roxas doesn't have his car?" Ria asked.

Xion tapped her chin with her index finger, "Actually-" she smiled and linked arms with me. My eyes widened. "I'll walk home with Namine. We don't live that far from each other, right?"

"Why don't you just catch a ride with us then?" Axel asked. "It's much faster,"

"Walking is exercising," Xion retorted. "Right, Namine?"

"Uh, yeah," I said quietly.

Roxas had an amused look on his face, "She doesn't need to exercise." since he was looking at me, I assumed his comment was directed at me. "She's already too skinny anyways."

Before I could argue back, Ria shot Roxas a stern look, "Roxas." she warned.

"What? It's a compliment," Roxas shrugged.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Xion nudged me slightly. When I glanced at her, she had a look that screamed:_ What was going on between you and my brother? Let me in on the gossip_. I shook my head, indirectly telling her that it was all in her imagination.

Ria waved her hand dismissively, "You two can walk," she said, looking at the two boys.

"What?" Roxas gasped. "But-"

"Aw, poor thing. I bet he can't even make it home if he has to walk," I said quietly. Apparently I wasn't quiet enough.

Roxas closed his mouth. He narrowed his eyes, "Wanna bet?"

"Hey, Roxas. What are you doing?" Axel whispered. Technically, his 'whisper' was loud enough for all of us to hear.

"I bet I will make it home before you do," Xion stuck her tongue out like a five year old child.

Roxas scoffed, "No one knows this area better than I do,"

Ria clapped her hands together, breaking the staring contest Roxas and I had going on. "You guys better hurry home before the sun sets, you know," she said happily.

"Can I get a ride?" Axel frowned. "I'm not-"

"You're walking with me," Roxas glared.

"What?" Axel shouted. "I don't even live near Radiant Gardens! Are you crazy or retarded?"

"Both," Xion muttered.

"I heard that," Roxas spat.

As Xion and I exited the classroom, I gave Roxas an innocuous smile, "Guess Xion will see you at home," I said in a sing-song voice.

"We'll see who gets the last laugh in the end," Roxas scowled.


	5. Unforgivable

**A/N: **Hello all ~ I'm terribly sorry for not updating, and if you've read my profile, you'll know that I don't have a legit excuse. I've been working on this chapter for the entire afternoon, so I hope you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me. T_T.

Thanks for reading.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Unforgivable<strong>_

"Wow! This is so exciting! I've never walked home before!" Xion said brightly, acting like she was five years old. She never walked home before? It was funny how I believed her so easily. But she was a rich girl living a carefree life without the thought of being restricted by money. It wasn't surprising to know that she's been riding in expensive cars all her life. "Do you really think I'll make it home before Roxas?" Xion continued.

"Probably," I said.

"You walk home a lot, huh?" Xion asked, smiling at me. "Why don't you try taking the bus or something?"

"From time to time, I do," I said, shrugging, "public transportation...just not my cup of tea, I guess,"

Suddenly, Xion wrapped her arm around me, "so, what's up with you and Roxas, huh? You two are bickering like an old couple! Don't you dare tell me that nothing is going on between you two. Because, that is _obviously_ not true."

"Sorry to disappoint you," I chuckled, "there is _nothing_ going on between us, I guarantee it."

Xion pouted cutely, "just from a day, you two went from being complete strangers to...I don't even know what to call it."

"Blame him," I frowned, "he's the one that's been bothering me. Not the other way around. Frankly, I don't really want to have anything to do with him. No offense," I mumbled. Xion stayed quiet for a couple of minutes. I bit my lower lip; I guess I shouldn't have said that. It did sound quite offensive, and the two were siblings, for goodness sake. "Xion," I said, breaking the silence. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, Namine," Xion interrupted, "you're absolutely right!"

"Excuse me?" I said, dumbfounded.

"There's times when I wish that _someone_ or _something_ would be kind enough to give Roxas a wake up call." Xion mumbled, narrowing her eyes at nothing in particular.

"Why?" I laughed, "he doesn't seem_ that_ bad," I said sarcastically. Hopefully, she sensed the sarcasm in my voice.

"You have no idea," Xion grumbled. It looked like she wanted to say more, but instead, Xion kept her mouth shut. It seems like she had a lot on her mind regarding Roxas, but why spill this to me when she had her so called 'family'? This brought up a lot of questions in my head. Since they were all so close, were they not aware of Xion's concerns about Roxas? Or maybe they-

I stopped. My jaw dropped slightly; was I turning into one of those girls who love to nose into other peoples' business? Heck, no. I threw up a little in my mouth, as I tried to remained stoic. Why was I so concerned? This was Roxas Decasto - a boy who never should have caught my attention in the first place. He was rubbing off on me; I just know that he was. Even though we only had a few interactions, I couldn't help but be more...rational around him. There was something about him that I couldn't put my finger on.

"Namine?" Xion was waving a hand in front of my face. I snapped out of my thoughts and turned her way, "are you okay? You're like spacing out or something."

"Sorry," I apologized, "I was just thinking what I was going to do when I get home." I lied.

"Work on the project?" Xion snickered.

"Probably," I cracked a lopsided smile, "I think I'll start forming my notes into paragraphs."

"Hey, are you hungry?" Xion asked, eyeing a nearby ice-cream stand.

"Somewhat," I admitted, "why?"

"Have you ever tasted sea-salt ice-cream?"

"No..." I said slowly, "what kind of flavor is that?"

Xion winked, "I'll let you find out for yourself!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the ice-cream stand I saw earlier. When we arrived, Xion ordered two sea-salt ice-creams and despite my refusal, paid for the two us. "Don't worry about it," Xion said, waving her hand dismissively, "it's only like...what? Three dollars?"

"Still," I urged, as I held out the money that I owed her. "Take it!"

"No," Xion stuck her tongue out like a little kid, "keep it!"

After minutes of arguing with her, I gave in. I slipped my wallet inside my bag and took the popsicle from the vendor. I uttered a thanks and trailed after Xion, who was happily licking away on her share. Once I caught up with her, I placed my tongue on the treat. I shivered slightly, getting used to the sudden coldness.

"How is it?" Xion asked, "good?"

I took a lick, letting the taste swirl in my mouth before replying, "it's sweet...but bitter at the same time."

"Strange, right?" Xion chuckled, "it's good though?"

"Yeah," I smiled, "quite different than what I'm used too."

We walked in silence, occasionally making small talk here and there. Other than gymnastics, Xion loved to play the violin. I even said that I would love to hear her play one day. The thought of Xion being a musician made me even more envious.

"Roxas knows how to play the piano, surprisingly," Xion chuckled.

"Seriously?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yup," Xion said, as she finished her popsicle, "the reason why he started was because our father pushed him too. But eventually, Roxas took a liking to it."

"Wow. I would actually like to see him play." I admitted, a faint blush crawling on my cheeks.

"When you come over, he can show you." Xion smirked, "maybe you two will have more bonding time."

I frowned, "no, thank you,"

"Aw, come on. Don't be such a poor sport," Xion laughed, nudging me in the side.

"Am not,"

"Am too,"

"Am not,"

"Am-" Xion stopped, her eyes glancing this way and that. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, as she looked behind us.

"What's wrong?" I questioned, looking back.

"Nothing," she said quickly, "must be my imagination."

Xion quickened her pace. My brows furrowed, as I watch her turn the corner. It was odd seeing her so nervous. I turned around, squinting my eyes, in hopes of finding whatever it was that made Xion so jittery. But the sun was setting, and all I could see was pedestrians and cars passing by. Nothing out of the ordinary.

At least, that was what I thought.

* * *

><p>Ever since then, Xion has been constantly checking her phone. She was so absorbed in whatever she was doing that she almost bumped into a pole. If it weren't for me pulling her out of the way, she would have had to suffer with a large bump on her forehead tomorrow morning. I tossed my popsicle stick into a garbage can, as we passed a park. Not counting the ice-cream delay, we had only been walking for five minutes. So, why did it feel like an eternity?<p>

"Do you need to be somewhere?" I asked, "you look pretty busy,"

Xion dropped her phone inside her pocket, "it's nothing, really," she said, giving me a small smile. "My parents want me to run an errand for them though."

"Right now?" I arched a brow and glanced at the darkening sky, "it's getting late. Besides, we're quite far from any convenient store. At least, from what I know,"

"It's fine," Xion reassured, "I can go by myself."

"What?" I spat, "it's late. I'm not going to let you walk to the store by yourself."

Xion laughed, "where have I heard that before?" My cheeks colored. "Don't worry, Namine, I'll be fine. Okay?"

"Is it just to get groceries?" I asked.

Xion clicked her tongue, "pretty much." She was avoiding eye contact with me, which made it pretty obvious that she was lying. I wanted to ask more; I wanted to know why she would lie to me. Where was she actually going? Who was she texting? And, who was the unknown presence that made Xion feel so uncomfortable? "I'll see you tomorrow!" Xion waved, as she sprinted down the street.

My instincts were telling me to follow her, but another part of me wanted to shrug it off. It was none of my business anyway. By now, I could only see her silhouette. When Xion was completely out of sight, I wondered if Roxas knew anything about where she was going.

* * *

><p>When I could see my house in the distance, I saw an expensive car parked in our driveway beside Faye's. The car looked very familiar. As I jogged to the driveway, my eyes widened. I sprinted up the steps and opened the door in a rush. As soon as I did, five individuals turned my way.<p>

My stepmother had a displeased look on her face. Faye turned away, as soon as she saw me. Jason Cambron greeted me pleasantly, which I returned with a smile. Cloud nodded in acknowledgement, and Seifer simply stared at me.

"Finally home, eh Namine?" my stepmother said, smiling in a way that made my stomach churn.

"Yeah," I said, slipping off my shoes.

"How was school?" Seifer asked, unexpectedly. I arched a brow.

_Why was he talking to me?_

"Good," I responded casually, "you?" I asked awkwardly.

"Alright, I guess," he said, shrugging, "could be better."

I placed my bag on a chair and reluctantly sat in an empty spot beside Faye. Sadly, it was that or a seat beside my stepmother. The adults continued their conversation like I hadn't intruded. Beside me, Faye looked bored, as I caught her checking her phone various times. I found it strange that my stepmother didn't ask her to leave. What was the point of letting her sit here if she wasn't doing anything? Eventually, though, Cloud came by to make some small talk. Either he was interested in her, or...he was extremely bored as well.

I fiddled with my thumbs, not knowing if I was allowed to leave or continue to sit here obediently like a trained puppy. My thoughts eventually wandered to Xion; I took a quick peek at the clock. The sky had darkened significantly, and I was hoping that she made it home safe from wherever she was heading back from.

I glanced around the room. Everyone seemed to be busy with their own things, everyone except Seifer and I. He had earphones stuck in his ears, and was fiddling with his phone. Well, he looked more busy than I was. I sighed quietly, hoping no one would hear. But apparently, I wasn't quiet enough.

"Seifer, you're not being nice," Cloud said, tuning out the adults' conversation.

"What?" Seifer asked loudly, as he pulled out an earphone.

Cloud rolled his eyes, "why don't you come and talk to her? She looks bored,"

"Oh, no, I'm fine." I said defensively. I glanced at my mother, "I have a lot of homework tonight. So, I'm going to go upstairs and finish it...if that's okay."

"Of course that's okay," Jason Cambron said, before my mother could open her mouth. "Studies come first!"

My mother waved me off. I jumped to my feet and rushed downstairs, bag in hand. For once, I was actually ecstatic about doing school work. Before I get to that though...

I opened the door and tossed my bag on my bed. I walked towards my desk and hastily pulled open the drawer. I fished out my sketchbook and a few drawing utensils that looked worn out and probably needed replacing. As I opened to an empty page, I turned on my computer. I always like to draw before attacking the mountain of school work I usually had. But this wasn't for my entertainment. I thought I would try sketching the tree a couple of times before drawing it on the actual paper Xion and I were going to use.

The one that was sitting in our classroom right now was too poorly drawn to be presentable.

I browsed through many websites, trying to find the same one that I sketched two days ago. I was too absorbed in what I was doing to notice a boy opening my bedroom door.

"I thought you were doing school work." a male voice spoke up.

I whipped around, not expecting to see Seifer standing at my doorway with his hands in his pockets. "It's rude to walk into someone's bedroom without knocking," I said sternly.

"I did knock," Seifer said, rolling his eyes, "four times."

"I never heard-"

"Of course you didn't hear it," Seifer smirked. "You were too absorbed in whatever you were doing. Playing games? Online shopping? Or...what is it that girls do on the computer?"

I stiffened, "I'm doing homework," I said simply, as I turned to the computer screen.

"Need any help?" Seifer chuckled, "it's that time of year again, huh?"

"You mean the project?" I asked, "yeah..."

"Better be careful," Seifer advised.

"Of what?" I asked, arching a brow.

Seifer smirked, "copycats," he said, pulling up a chair beside me. "There's usually a couple who get caught cheating every year."

"Cheating?" my eyes widened.

"Yeah," Seifer shrugged, "it happens."

"Did your work get plagiarized?" I asked quietly. I don't know why, but I found it amazing that Seifer and I were having a decent conversation, for once. He wasn't as intimidating as I thought he was.

"Nope, my friend did though." Seifer said, his eyes fixed on my screen. "Turned pretty ugly,"

"Was everything okay?" I said.

"Someone's awfully curious," Seifer smirked.

I turned away from him, blushing slightly, "I just don't want to be caught in the same boat."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Seifer replied, "if it happens, then it happens,"

"Gee, thanks. You're very helpful," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Seifer's brows scrunched. He had a confused look on his face, as he pointed at my screen, "what an ugly tree," he commented.

I frowned, "that 'ugly' tree is my project,"

"Well, you both have something in common," Seifer snickered.

"What?"

"You're both not attractive," My eyes narrowed. Did he just say what I think he just said? Seifer forced his smile back, as he patted my head, "sorry, sorry! It was a joke! You can take jokes, right? Cause you don't look like those extremely serious types of people who-"

"That's still offensive," I said bluntly, "especially to someone who you don't know very well."

Seifer rubbed the back of his head shamefully, "sorry, Namine. It just sorta...slipped out. Hope you can forgive me?"

I rolled my eyes, "by the way, what are you doing in my room anyway?"

"Er...my dad bought some snacks over and he told me to ask you if you wanted some." Seifer admitted.

"Snacks? What kinds of snacks?" I asked. By now, I was getting pretty hungry, despite the popsicle I ate only a few hours ago.

"Octopus balls. Ever had them before?" Seifer asked.

"They sound familiar," I said, tapping my chin with my index finger.

"Seriously? You never had them before?" Seifer stared at me in disbelief, his jaw dropping.

"Stop looking at me like that," I muttered. "Is it so bad that I never had any before?"

"Yes!" Seifer screamed, "what a boring life you lead, Namine,"

I frowned. "I quite happen to like my 'boring' life. Thank you very much," I grumbled. "And get out of my room!" I snapped, "you're distracting me."

"I won't get out until you come upstairs and try it for yourself." Seifer huffed.

This guy was pretty stubborn. He reminds me a lot of another annoying blond that I know. I rubbed my forehead in frustration; why were the guys in my life blond and annoying? Where were all the normal ones? Extinct?

"I'll come upstairs later," I sighed, "I need to get some work done."

"How about I bring some down for you?" he offered, "think of it as an apology gift for my rude behaviour earlier."

I arched a brow, staring at him disbelief. Okay, he was slightly better than the other one. "Whatever you want," I shrugged.

"You have to promise to eat it," he said, glancing at me doubtfully.

"Why wouldn't I eat it?" I asked.

Seifer shrugged, "you never know." He stood up and placed the chair back where he found it. "How many do you want? Or can I just bring a full plate?" he smirked.

"Doesn't matter to me," I said, turning my attention back onto the screen.

* * *

><p>By the time Seifer got back, I had already sketched out a good portion of the tree. I switched off my monitor and stared at the large number of octopus balls sitting on the plate. They were smothered in mayonnaise, and I could still see the hot stream. I took a deep breath, inhaling the delicious scent.<p>

"I ate a good portion of it upstairs," Seifer smirked. "Bet you're really hungry now,"

"Starving," I grinned, as I took the fork from his hand. I chewed at my bottom lip, wondering which one to eat first.

"Don't be so picky," Seifer scoffed, "just pick one. They're all the same."

I stabbed my fork into the one at the very left, "well, what can I say? I'm a picky eater." I said, placing the treat inside my mouth.

"You weren't a very picky eater at the restaurant," Seifer said, raising a brow.

"People change," I said, with my mouth full.

"Ew, gross. Chew with your mouth closed," Seifer said, a look of disgust. I swallowed the octopus ball and smiled brightly. I could still taste the treat on my tongue; it was scrumptious and my taste buds felt like they were in heaven. I squealed, unable to contain the happiness of tasting such a heavenly snack. "Good, right?" I nodded eagerly and stabbed into another one. "Don't eat too fast," Seifer warned.

"I won't," I said happily, as I popped another in my mouth. "They're so good!" I cried.

"Chew with your mouth closed," Seifer snapped.

As I swallowed the snack, I flashed him a devil-like smirk, "what? What's wrong in having a little fun?"

"It's not fun," Seifer frowned, "it's proper eating manners,"

"Have none," I said, sticking my tongue out.

"I never knew that the daughter to the CEO of L.D Corporations has such poor manners." Seifer said, clicking his tongue. "What a shame,"

"I never knew that the son to Cambron Corporations was so uptight." I replied, "well, that's to be expected. You're rich and have someone watching your every move."

"Me? Uptight? About what?" Seifer scoffed.

I shrugged, "everyone has their insecurities about something,"

"What about you, huh?" Seifer said, stuffing a octopus ball in his mouth, "what are your insecurities?"

I stared at him blankly, "why should I tell you? I barely know you."

"Exactly. Don't assume that I'm uptight because you know nothing about me." Seifer stated bluntly.

I rolled my eyes, "someone knows how to talk back."

"I can say the same with you."

The two of us stared at each other, and then at the plate. There was only one octopus ball left.

In other words, it was now a fight to the death.

Seifer took a stab at it, but I interfered with my own before he could snatch it off the plate. The two of us sat there, looking like five year olds, as we laughed and giggled at our attempts to snatch the last treat. We didn't notice my door opening, before a familiar voice spoke up, breaking our laughing fits.

"Namine," My heart stopped. I looked up to see Faye standing at the door, a stern expression on her face. Clearly, she was not happy. Because of what? I have no idea. "Come upstairs,"

"Why?" I asked, as I stood up, "what's wrong?"

"You have a _visitor_," she spat.

Seifer and I trailed behind Faye, as the three of us jogged up the stairs. Feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere, as I neared the door was a sign that whatever was up there, wasn't going to be very pleasant. Faye opened the door, allowing Seifer and I to pass first.

Jason Cambron was talking with Cloud, ignoring the visitor who was sitting on the couch. My stepmother had her arms crossed over her chest; the dark look in her eyes made me want to crawl into a corner.

"Namine!" my stepmother gasped. Everyone turned our way. "Care to explain?" she snapped.

"Explain what?" I asked, feeling extremely flustered. The boy sitting on the couch stood up. My eyes widened, as I realized that it was none other than Roxas Decastro. "R-Roxas?" I whispered. I brushed past my mother, wanting an explanation why he was in my house, sitting on my couch. "What are you doing here?" I asked. Roxas looked up; his eyes looked lifeless and his face was awfully pale. It frightened me to see him in such a state. "Roxas?" I whispered.

"Xion...where is she?" he asked desperately. He gripped my shoulders, shaking me.

"Xion?" I grabbed his arms to prevent him from shaking me any more. "What do you mean? I thought she went home?"

"She never came back!" Roxas said loudly, tears brimming his eyes. "I thought she was with you!" Fear was evident in his opalescent eyes, "Namine!"

"She said she had an errand to run!" I screamed, sounding completely flustered. I didn't even realize I was crying before I brought my hands to my face. Xion was missing? But how...why? What?! "She said her parents wanted her to get groceries! So...So, I let her go..."

"When was this?" Roxas asked, his voice low.

I looked at the clock, "f-four hours ago," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Doesn't make sense..." Roxas muttered, his hands rolling into fists.

"Did you try her cell phone?" I was practically screaming at him.

"Duh," Roxas spat, "of course I did! She never picked up."

"Xion..." I whispered. I knew I shouldn't have let her go. Hot, sticky tears were streaming down my cheeks. If something were to happen to her, it would be my fault. If something were to happen to her, I would never be able to forgive myself.


End file.
